Last week I posted part 1 of my translation of the chapter on extraterrestrial life in Rabbi Pinchas Elijah Hurwitz's 1797 book Sefer ha-Breet ("Book of the Covenant"). What follows is part 2. I've talked about Hurwitz and his book in last week's post. I'm intrigued by his quotation--I can't … [Read more...]
Extraterrestrial Life – A View From 1797 (Part 1)
I was 13 years old. I'd just become a UFOlogist; I was excited by the idea that ancient documents like the Bible might speak of flying saucers. I asked my grandfather, who was something of a Hebrew scholar, what the Talmud--the great book of post-Biblical Judaism, dating from the early centuries … [Read more...]
“One Little Child Was Born on Christmas Day”
From my friend Kathleen Hannan's newly released album, "Seen & Unseen: Songs From the Light of Midlife": "One little child was born on Christmas day One little child was born on Christmas day One little child, one little child One little child was born on Christmas day. One little … [Read more...]
The Qur’an and the Cherry-Tree Carol – A Christmas Story
It's called "The Cherry-Tree Carol," and I'm sure you've heard a version at one time or another. Joan Baez did one. There's also a rendition--exceptionally eerie and haunting--by Judy Collins. I doubt if any two vocalists sing it with quite the same words. It's a traditional song, which means … [Read more...]
The Tower of Babel – Moon Launch Platform?
No, it's not my idea. It was Jonathan Eibeschuetz, the "heretic rabbi" of 18th-century Prague, who came up with it. I discovered this a few months ago, while surfing the Hebrew-language Web. I came upon an article by one Noah Zevuluni, published in an Israeli newspaper in August 1962--right … [Read more...]
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